Marriage Is A Farce
by Lillith Evans
Summary: Marriage to Harry was something Ginny had always expected. However on her wedding day she is plagued by thoughts of a very different man, remembering the one who noticed her when Harry refused to. This story is attached to Married for TraceyTheodore DG


_**When Had She Said Yes?** _

The question seemed to plague her as she walked around her private room as her Hermione and her mother bustled around her straightening her veil, fixing her train, adding last minute curls to her hair with their wands. Had she said yes? If she had she didn't remember it.

Today was the day she was marrying Harry Potter...god how happy she should have been! She should have been dancing, or at least moving around happily across the room but she couldn't help but slump her shoulders. Was she just marrying Harry because of what she saw a year ago?

Their wedding was to be a private one so they wouldn't get caught. Remus Lupin would be their priest and would bind them together by the magical laws of marriage. She watched as Hermione came beside her and kissed her cheek. "You look fantastic Ginny." She said hugging her tightly. Well of course she did! She'd looked fantastic since her third year, when she'd finally grown taller and lost some of that extra weight and become slimmer over the summer!

Her mother came up to her and looked at her seriously. "Now Ginny after Harry takes you out of the church I want you to come next to me for a bit all right...there's a little matter of the wedding night that we need to-" Ginny couldn't hear anymore! In fact she couldn't bear to tell her mother that she wasn't an innocent anymore so she simply nodded. "All right mom...now go away. I need me time!" She said with a joking smile and watched as her mother nodded and Hermione giggled beside her.

"I'm just nervous for my daughter," She said slowly with tears in her eyes and Ginny nodded. "NOW SHOO! Both of you...isn't there some law that says the Bride needs to look at herself and the mirror says that she looks horribly fat in white while the two of you are _out_?" She asked pointedly and practically pushed them out of the door. If she was going to find out when she said yes she'd have to do it now...without the two of them.

Harry had been very blunt around his proposal. Really she'd expected more…but that'd been made up for after the proposal when he brought her lavish dresses and expensive jewels that she didn't know he could afford, or at least afford to go get from jewel shops. She looked at her ring for a second. It was so beautiful; the diamond was set right in the middle, next to two smaller diamonds. True it wasn't all that much of an original choice but it was still gorgeous and for a girl who never had much jewels she was happy to wear it.

Had she said yes though? She supposed she hadn't since he'd proposed right next to her mother and immediately her mother had hugged him and her saying how happy she was for the two of them. Ginny wasn't stupid...she knew her mother had hopes of Ginny marrying Harry. Ginny didn't mind of course! She loved Harry even if he was always concentrated on the war and throwing off the Death Eater government that was in power at the moment.

  
**Sixth Year- The Beginning**

She supposed it had been in the beginning of her sixth year when Harry had stopped noticing her completely because he was too focused on avenging Dumbledore. She hadn't minded! She loved Dumbledore just as much as she loved her brothers. Though you couldn't punish her for hoping that he might pay her a little bit of attention, a small kiss on the lips in the rain, a hug in the dark, a smile directed towards her after a particularly funny joke.

She'd waited for these gestures...but they'd never come. She'd cry sometimes too...just because she felt so lonely. Being the youngest and a sister to her six brothers not only was she spoilt but her need for physical contact was sometimes higher than that of an only childs. So she supposed she was acting childish when she stopped getting the physical attention she needed from Harry.

Then it had happened. It was the small looks across the great hall at dinner that alerted her first. The way he'd simply smile at her instead of being cruel. She'd scoffed at the idea at first. It was preposterous! Soon enough though she became desperate for any contact whatsoever, even if it was wrong of her to use him for such reasons, it had all changed though.

_A Helping Hand _

It had been in particularly wild storm that had started her internal conflicts. Ginny loved the rain, and ever since she'd been four she'd run outside and dance in it. She'd never thought that the rain was dangerous. This storm had been. Her robes were clinging to her, she'd been so cold, and yet she refused to listen to her logical mind and go inside. She couldn't feel the strength to move. She'd barely noticed someone grab her from behind and drag her inside the Quidditch sheds away from the pitch where she was dancing. She knew she hadn't wanted to go inside. She was being touched after such a long time! The rain was caressing her skin, giving her a tiny bit of comfort, even if she'd been cold, even if she could have caught a cold. She hadn't cared. The rain made her feel whole again in a way. She'd turned around to look at her so-called 'savior' with intent to shout at the person. When she saw whom it was her mouth was unable to move and she was quite sure she looked a little bit like a deer with big wide eyes. There he was standing drenched…and looking rather messy. His robes were half on, and half off, his hair was all over his face and in small strings that she wanted to yank on, and his eyes were filled with something unrecognizable to her. Draco Malfoy had saved her from the storm of the century. As if on cue there had been a sound of thunder and lightning. Here they were stuck in the Quidditch sheds…with no way of getting back before light unless they wanted to die.

Not trusting him she'd moved away, faster than the lightning outside, to the other side of the shed. She hadn't wanted to look at him. Just the thought of him doing anything nice seemed absurd to her, saving her life…counted as nice. She kept quiet…not willing to speak, afraid she might say something offensive and be pushed out of the shed and left outside in danger's eye again. The danger of the storm was finally starting to dawn on her.

After about two hours of not speaking to him she looked up and found him asleep on a bench. The same bench where she'd sat with Harry about a week ago practically stuck on his arm. He looked so serene she couldn't help but wander over and lay her hand on his hand softly, so she wouldn't wake him up. It wasn't like he was going to know what she was doing. Smiling she interlaced her fingers with his and sat there happy that she was being touched once more, even if the person didn't know of it. As soon as the storm stopped she left his hand and ran outside to the castle.

Though it seemed she could not stop thinking about those few moments where his hand was in her own. It didn't help that Harry still wasn't paying her any attention. When she'd look up and catch him staring at her across the halls again, she'd turn away blushing at the memory of a simple touch not much more than a handshake. It was quite foolish of her to even imagine the thought of holding his hand again. Though that was what it came to. The thoughts lead from Harry touching her, Harry wrapping blankets around her to Draco doing those things. She'd even started to refer to him as Draco in her mind!

_A Shoulder To Lean On _

One day when the halls were empty she caught him lying there…simply there. When he looked up and saw her, he gave a slight nod as if acknowledging her appearance and continued to gaze at the wall across from him. Perhaps all those times he was gazing at her he was really gazing at a wall. So she sat down beside him slowly unsure of what she was really doing. When he didn't seem to acknowledge this movement in a wild manner she sighed and placed her head on his shoulder. Probably from shock, Draco didn't say anything to her. So they continued sitting there, like that, for hours, thanking god that no one happened to stroll across the third floor hallway that night, not even Filch.

Soon after she found herself loosing her attention span in her classes. All she could think about was the third floor hallway. She remembered the soft wool of his rich fabric against her cheek, it had felt so different from Harry's…Harry's had always had the velvety, soft feeling to it. She'd be so content to jump into Harry's arms would he ask…but he never did anymore. So she sought out comfort in the memories she had with Draco, which were more recent.

She was happy that they never really talked while they were together, lest he say something to offend her. She knew if that happened she would never go back to him. Another thing she was glad about was that he'd never tell anyone he spent time with a Weasley. So no one would know that she spent time with a Malfoy.

Their third meeting like this was the one she remembered most often. It had been after a particularly distressful Quidditch match where he'd been injured after Harry caught the snitch. She couldn't help but wonder how he was doing…he gave her comfort, and solace. She could help him out when he was in pain could she not? She didn't know what made her even think of following through with the stupid idea.

_A Kiss Throughout The Night _

She'd gone that night and snuck into the Hospital Wing and sat beside his bed for a few minutes simply looking at him. She was afraid to look at Harry like this now. Sometimes when he'd fall asleep in the common room she'd hold his hand in hers, but he'd wake up and simply go back to work forgetting about her. Oh how she loved Harry and yet he never noticed, or maybe he did but he just didn't have time for her. She understood…she always would in the end.

She didn't know when her hand had reached up to run alongside his cheek, but she caressed it much like the rain had hers on the first night she met him, really met him, or at least that was how she liked to think of it. When she started to move her hand away she was shocked as Draco grasped it and held it tightly. "I had a feeling you'd come." He said quietly surprising her. Then he did the unthinkable…no he didn't kiss her. "Why?" It was a question even she didn't bother to ask herself. After all even she had never asked him that day why he came out to save her when her own brother didn't worry about her.

"I had to see if you needed anything." She said quietly and touched his ribs softly, trying to feel if they were broken. Being in a poor family they had learnt to heal their own wounds so that they wouldn't need to go the Mediwizards. "Does it hurt?" She asked slowly afraid of his answer.

"Yes…I'm glad you came." He said quietly. She bit her lip…was she getting too attached? What would happen when Harry started to notice her once more? Would she still come? Would she still defy Harry by finding support in his enemy's arms?

"Weasley..."

"Don't." 

"Don't what?"

"Call me Ginny…I've never liked the fact my last name was related to an animal. No matter how proud I am I still don't like my last name. Got teased for it when I was in pre-school with the muggle kids in the village."

She knew he was smirking. She really didn't mind telling him that, even if it could be used against her when they were yelling at each other in the halls. She wished she could just kiss that smirk off his face. Suddenly she realized…she'd wished she could kiss him! That was wrong. She could admit that even if she was finding comfort in his innocent touches, even if she initiated them. This was wrong! She had no right to be down here. They were people from such different worlds that- no she couldn't think of it. Why was she torturing herself?

Draco must have sensed something because he reached out to her hand once more. "Don't worry…after tonight I'll never talk to you again. I'll never think of you again. I'll never touc-"

"Don't."

"Touch you?"

"Don't say that you won't." Shocked at the words that simply seemed to be coming out her mouth she felt herself lowering her own mouth so she could kiss him. She knew that tonight was the last time she'd ever see Draco Malfoy the way she did. When their lips first met she was shocked by the fact that his lips were colder than ice. It didn't matter to her…he'd melt. They all seemed to like melting around her. Micheal, Dean, and Harry they all melted with just one kiss, one look, and one touch.

**The Wedding Day **

She'd attended his wedding to Tracey, Theodore had been able to sneak her in and even let her cry on his shoulder, as long as he got to use hers as a pillow later on, when he felt like he couldn't sleep. She hadn't minded because it was the touch that made her yield in the end, he needed it. He seemed so much like Draco to her. She could see the same cold history in their eyes, the same smile sometimes, if she looked hard enough, and the same need to protect their beliefs. She knew he'd seen her the moment she'd walked in the church. He'd looked at her with cold eyes, he never spoke to her simply turned away…not alarming the guards that she was inside, even though it was his duty as a Death Eater.

Today it was her wedding…she knew he wouldn't come…she knew he couldn't come. There were wards put up by her mother were very strong. Her mother had said it was so that nothing could disturb their special moment.

Ginny wasn't sad…oh she wasn't sad at all. She loved Harry more than anything. That was why there would be no tears at her wedding. What had shocked her was that the very day after the Hospital Wing Harry had started to notice her once more, he'd kissed her after practice on the bench where Draco had slept peacefully, he'd hugged her in the common room when she'd felt cold and he'd put blankets over her when she drifted off to sleep. She'd almost forgotten about the cold boy that had touched her heart when she was lonely, even if he'd been her first. She'd simply put his memories at the back of her head. After all he was the enemy, and in the end there was no point to remembering him.

Watching as her mother came in she smiled, finally! Even if she hadn't said yes before…she was saying it now. "I'm ready to get married mum!" She said running to her mother happily and hugging her as she practically rushed out to meet Bill, who would walk her down the aisle. Arthur Weasley had died…at the hands of Draco Malfoy. Which was why she would never love him, even if they'd spent time together, even if he'd reached out to her, even if they'd touched each other, she'd never love him.

"Thank you Bill," She said stepping on her tippy toes, as if she were a little girl, and kissing his cheek. Hearing the music for her bridesmaids she sighed happily. Demelza with Colin, her school friend, was out first. Soon followed by Tonks with Charlie, a girl who had been the first to give her leadership on a mission for the order, and made her strong, it was the year Tonks came around that Ginny left behind her shy image and burst through like a wild flower in a rich garden. Then it was Hermione with Ron, the girl who seemed to be there whenever Ginny needed to practice her make-up on someone to make sure she hadn't lost touch, and a girl who was there when Ginny herself needed make up her mind. Then it was her turn to walk up front. Her eyes immediately drifted to Harry, he looked so happy…there wasn't a sad face around.

Everyone seemed so happy, Ginny was happy too! There couldn't have been a quicker walk down the aisle because she was quite sure she was making Bill run beside her! As Bill handed her over she stood beaming beside Harry who seemed to be smiling so wide she was afraid he'd lock his jaw. Grabbing his hands she nodded to herself and thought. This was the way it was supposed to be… even if Harry didn't pay her attention it was because he was trying to save her from someone. If Harry didn't touch her, it was because he was busy thinking of ways to keep her alive. Yet she couldn't help but wonder how had he never noticed that she and Draco had those few months together? Where Harry had seemed non-existent almost.

Then she heard Remus start and she was so sure that this was the way it was supposed to be. Draco might have had the passion, but Harry had the heart. She felt elated when she heard Harry say the words. "I do," She'd dreamt about this day for a long time…for more than half her life. The war was still on, for them at least, and yet Harry wanted to marry her! How could she not love him for all his sweet charm? He might be bad with women but he was so caring, he took care of her when she was suffering through severe bleeding. How could she not love him?

Then Remus continued to her. "Do you Ginevra Molly Weasley take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

She was quite sure if she didn't say I do she'd lunge on Harry and snog him …pronounced his wife or not. "I do!" 

"I now pronounce you husband and wife you may kiss the groom." He said jokingly obviously noticing that Ginny wanted to snog him. Ginny laughed as she nodded and reached up for Harry's lips, really she hated the fact she was so short. Yet she couldn't help but…she couldn't help but miss Draco's lips, Draco's shoulders, and Draco's touch. So when she finally pulled herself away from Harry's lips she was quite breathless and she turned around happily to everyone behind them, they were laughing. She couldn't help but feel guilty that she'd miss someone so cold as to murder her father, so cold as to almost kill Luna Lovegood, so cold as to touch her.

**_Married_**


End file.
